Moab's Sand Hill

Moab's Sand Hill is one of those local secrets that residents know and visitors almost never find without a tip — a genuine sand dune in the Moab area where kids can run, roll, slide, and dig to their hearts' content for absolutely free.

The appeal is deceptively simple: kids love sand, and this is a big pile of it in the middle of the Utah desert. Bring a plastic sled, a piece of cardboard, or just a willingness to get sandy, and you've got an afternoon of entertainment. Toddlers who want to dig will stay occupied for hours. Bigger kids who run up and slide down on repeat will be physically exhausted in the best possible way.

The dune is an interesting geological feature in its own right — a natural wind-deposited sand mound in a landscape otherwise dominated by rock. Parents can appreciate the landscape context while kids are just happy it's a giant sandbox.

One non-negotiable rule: timing. The sand in direct Moab sun gets scorching — legitimately dangerous for bare feet and uncomfortable even with shoes in the peak heat of summer afternoons. Morning visits before 9am or evening visits after 6pm are the right moves in summer. Spring and fall extend the comfortable window considerably.

There are no facilities at the sand hill — no restrooms, no water, no shade. Pack water obsessively for Moab outdoor activities; the desert air dehydrates faster than most people expect. And budget some time after for shaking sand out of literally everything.